1. Technical Field
This document relates to urinary catheters with a safety mechanism that indicates when the distal end of the device entered a human's bladder and is properly positioned, thereby preventing inflation of the retention balloon in the urinary canal. For example, this document provides urinary catheters that can include a body having a proximal portion and a distal portion with the body having a safety mechanism to indicate when the distal portion of the catheter body has entered the urinary bladder.
2. Background Information
Catheters are medical devices that can be used to facilitate various medical procedures. A catheter can be inserted into the body of a patient and thereby allow drainage or removal of fluids or other material. For instance, a typical internal urinary catheter is known as a Foley catheter. A Foley catheter can include a hollow tube having a tip at one end which is inserted into the body. The tip can have one or more openings that communicate with the interior of the hollow tube. The other end of the tube can be disposed externally of the body and can be connected to a waste receptacle by way of a flexible discharge conduit. An annular inflatable portion, or retention balloon, can be spaced inwardly from the tip. Such a balloon can be deflated during placement of the catheter into the body and thereafter inflated after the tip is properly positioned within the body in the urinary bladder of the patient.